Two station dictating system with a plurality of recorders



TWO STATIGN DICTATING SYSTEM WITH A I PLITY OF RECORDERS This invention relates to a dictating system, and more particularly to a dictating system having separate dictating and recording stations, with a plurality of tape or wire recorders at the recording station which may be controlled from the dictating station.

The primary object of this invention is to furnish a dictating system designed to assist the secretary in speeding the return of typewritten material to the dictator. To this end the dictating station is connected with a separate recording station which is equipped with a plurality of recorders with both manual and automatic means for instantaneously switching the incoming dic tation from one recorder to another recorder thus permitting the secretary to transcribe dictation from one recorder while dictation is being recorded on another recorder.

A further object of the invention is to furnish a dictating system which will make it possible for dictation to be recorded for an indefinite period of time without interruption, and in which transcription of the recorded dictation can follow the dictation with only a brief time lag and without interrupting the dictation;

A further object of this invention is to make the operation of the recording station automatic, so that when it is not attended the dictator can dictate'for extended periods of time with assurance that his dictation is being properly recorded.

A feature of this invention is the plurality of recorders at the recording station, each of which operates as an independent unit.

Another feature of this invention is the switching mechanism for either manually or automatically switching the speech circuit from one recorder to another recorder without interrupting the dictation.

Another feature of the invention is the arrangement for automatically shifting the speech circuit from one recorder to another recorder and starting the second recorder in operation when the recording medium, which may be either tape or wire, breaks or runs out.

A further feature of this invention is the provision of means for stopping the recorders and warning the dietator at the dictating station when the recording medium on all recording units has broken or run out.

A further feature of this invention is the arrangement whereby all the recorders are originally available for the use of the dictator, but any one may be made available instantaneously for transcribing, for changing the recording medium, or for other adjustments, without interrupting the dictation.

An additional feature of this invention is the arrangement whereby by use of a single control at the dictating station the dictator can play back a predetermined portion of the most recently dictated material, in order to permit him to pick up his train of thought after an interruption.

An additional feature of this invention is the useof only two circuits between the dictating station and the recording station for two-way speech and all remote controls.

2,784,258 Patented Mar. 5, 1957 General description As shown on the accompanying drawing this dictating system is designed for handling dictation between a dictator atone location and a secretary or typist at another location. They may be located in different rooms or in different parts'of a large room. The dictating station comprises equipment which would be located on or adjacent to the dictators desk and the recording station comprises equipment which wouldbe located on or adjacent to the s'ecretarys desk.

Theequipment for this dictating system falls into four principal groupings which will be referred to as A, B, C, and D. Referring to the drawing, the equipment at the dictating station is designated as group A. Groups 13 and C indicate'two recorders atthe recording station. The fourth group, designated as D, covers a switching system and auxiliary equipment which is also located at the recording station.

The equipment in these four groups which is essential for a full' disclosure of this invention will be described, but certain parts of the equipment illustrated in the drawing which are not part of the invention and which are already well known, will be referred to only to the extent necessary to explain the invention. Similarly, certain auxiliary equipment, such for example as resistances which. may be required between current sources and relays, have not been illustrated and will not be described since they are not essential to an understanding of this invention.

The equipment at the dictating station comprises a startstop' switch-'1', a signal lamp 2, and a current source 3 (all of which are in the starting circuit), an amplifier 4, and a microphone 5 and loud-speaker 6 both of which may be connected to the amplifier through a multiple switch 7, and a speech circuit 8 which is also connected to the amplifier through this switch. Multiple switch 7 also controls the polarity of the current supplied by current source 3 to the starting circuit.

At the recording station, recorders B and C are either tape or wire recorders which can be well known types of commercial equipment modified for use in this invention. For brevity they' will be referred to in this specification as tape recorders. They have the usual tape reels 9 and 10, and 11 and 12, which tape reels can be designed to carry one hours dictation, recording heads 13 and I4, and motors 15 and 16, forward-reverse switches 17 and 18 and record-listen switches 19 and 20.

In addition to the usual recorder features, they also have signal lamps 21 and 22, relays to operate the signal lamps, and separate relays to operate the usual forwardreverse switches and the record-listen switches. There isalso a mechanism for detecting a break in tapes 23 and 24, consisting of arms 25 and 26 which are pivoted at points 2'7 and 23, respectively, and which carry contacts 29 and 30 (which may be in the form of rollers) on the ends of the arms 25 and 26. Contacts 29 and 30 rest against tapes 23 and 24 under slight pressure from springs 31 and 32. The tapes are held in alignment at the point of contact by pins 33 and 34, and 35 and 36 which may also be fitted with rollers to lessen friction with the recording tapes. Arms 25 and 26 control electrical contacts 37 and 38 which are normally open.

In the switching group D, at the recording station, there is a multiple switch 39 carrying five switch arms 42, 43, 44, 45, and 46. This switch can be manually controlled, or can be automatically controlled by relays 40"and 41 which act on the combination switch arm and armature 42. Multiple switch 39 is a three-position switch. It nor- I mally rests in either its up or down position and it comes to rest at its middle position only under one set of circumstances, when both recorders become inoperative,

3 and then as a result of automatic control, as will be more fully explained. In its up position four of its five switch arms are connected with recorder C and in its down position they are connected with recorder B. Under ordinary circumstances it is immaterial whether the secretary leaves the switch in the up or down position.

The principal function of this switching system is to switch the speech circuit connecting the dictating station and the recording station from one recorder to the other and to control the corresponding recorder motor. The speech circuit is controlled through switch arm 43 and the motor circuits are controlled through switch arm 44.

Multiple switch 39 likewise connectsvarious auxiliary circuits to whichever recorder is in operation, as is hereinafter more fully described. The circuit controlling the record-listen switches 19 and 20 is connected to the operating recorder through switch arm 45, and the circuit controlling the forward-reverse switches 17 and 18 is directed to the operating recorder through switch arm 46.

Included in group D is relay 47 which controls the operating circuits for the recorder motors, and slow-acting relay 48 which opens the starting circuit if both recorders are out of operation, thus stopping the recorder motors and shutting off signal lamp 2 at the dictating station.

Also included in group D are polarized relays 49 and 50 which respectively control the forward-reverse switches 17 and 18 and the record-listen switches 19 and 20, at the recorders.

Operation of starting circuit and speech circuit To make the system available for dictating, the dictator merely closes start-stop switch 1, which may be controlled either by hand or may be designed to be foot actuated. The closing of this switch lights signal lamp 2 at the dictating station, which stays lighted as long as the equipment is in a condition for dictating, and also operates relay 47 at the recording station through the following circuit: line 51, switch contact 52, current source 3, switch contact 53, line 54, the windings of relays 47, 49, and 50,

' armature S of relay 48, contact 56 (which is normally closed) and line 57 back to start-stop switch 1. Relays 49 and 50 are not operated at this time since they are polarized relays which operate only when the polarity of the current received from current source 3 over the starting circuit is the reverse of that received during this normal starting operation.

When relay 47 is energized its armature 58 closes contact 59 which places power on motor 16 of recorder C (since multiple switch 39 is shown in a position which calls for the operation of recorder C rather than recorder B) through the following circuit: current source 60, contact 59, relay armature 58, line 61, switch arm 44, contact 62, line 63, the winding of relay 64, line 65, motor 16, and line 66 back to current source 69.

The dictator is then ready to dictate into microphone 5 which is shown connected to the input of amplifier 4 through switch contacts 67 and 63. The speech circuit is connected with the output of amplifier 4 through switching contacts 69 and 70 and is connected to recording head 14 of recorder C through the following circuit: line 71, line 72, recording head 14, time 73, switching contact 74, switch arm 43, and line 75.

It should be pointed out in this connection that an amplifier may or may not be necessary for recording the dictation under the invention, depending upon the distance between the dictating station and the recording station. If these are in adjoining rooms and separated by little more than the thickness of a wall the amplifiers of the recorders may sufiice and amplifier 4 may not be required, but if the two stations are separated by a considerable distance it will normally be required and is therefore shown.

A It should also be noted that at the time motor 16 was started signal lamp 22 was lighted as a result of the opera tion of relay 64. This lamp is controlled through the following circuit: ground 76, armature 77, armature contact 78, signal lamp 22, current source 79 and ground 80.

If the secretary is present she will of course be aware of the starting of a recorder, but if she has been away from her desk the lighted signal lamp will warn her that the machine has been operated, even though it is not operating when she returns to her desk. Contact 78 is a locked contact (not illustrated), which when once closed can only be opened by the secretary on duty and will not open when the current through relay 64 is shut ofi, so that if the starting circuit is opened at the end of dictation or the operation is automatically shifted to recorder B the secretary will nevertheless be made aware of the fact that dictation has been recorded on recorder C.

Manual switching between recorders At the recording station the secretary on duty, upon being warned by the motion of the machine or by the lighting of signal lamp 22 that dictation-has been recorded on tape 24, will wait for a few minutes until sutlicient material has been dictated for typing, and she will then move the handle of switch 39 from its up position into its down position (as illustrated in broken lines) which operation switches the speech and motor circuits from recorder C to recorder B essentially instantaneously. The speech circuit which was formerly connected with recorder C through the upper switch contact 74 is now shunted to recorder B through lower switch contact 81. Similarly the motor starting circuit which was connected with motor 16 through upper switch contact 62 is now connected in a similar fashion to motor 15 through lower switch contact 82, and recorder B is thereby placed in operation.

Recorder B thus picks up the dictation where recorder C left off and the secretary has recorder C at her disposal and is free to play back the dictation already recorded on tape 24 through the use of the usual tape recorder controls which are not detailed here since they are not a part of this invention. If the dictation continues the secretary will switch the dictator back to recorder C after she has completed transcribing the material on tape 24 and will then transcribe what has been dictated on tape 23 in the meantime. This alternating procedure can be followed indefinitely without interrupting either the dictation or the transcribing operation and the secretary can install new tape reels from time to time on the inactive recorder so that the duration of the dictating span is not restricted by the size of the tape reels. This arrangement also permits the secretary to place the typed material on the dictators desk page by page as fast as it comes out of the typewriter and without interrupting his dictation.

When leaving the machine unattended the secretary merely has to see that the recorders are both adequately supplied with fresh tape and that the signal lights 21 and 22 are off. For future reference she will also note at what point on each reel dictation ended so that she can rewind the tapes to these points when starting on the next transscription. Means for locating such points on the tape reels are normally provided on recorders and is not part of this invention.

Provision can also be made for the easy removal of tape from the recorders either after rewinding or by removing as a single unit both the fresh reel and the reel carrying the recorded material, so that in a secretarial pool tape can be'readily removed and transferred to another secretarys recorder for transcription, but this arrange ment, likewise, is well known, and is not part of this invention.

Automatic switching between recorders iri does not know whether it is continuing, to work satisra'cterily;

I The principal cause of failure in a tape or wire recorder is likely to be the breaking of the-tape or wire recording medium. Such a contingency is taken care of in this invention by an immediate automatic shift of the dictation to the other recorder.

If dictation is being received on recorder C, for'example, and tape 24 either breaks or runs out, roller30 on the end of arm 26 is then no longer restricted in'movement by the tape and under pressure from spring 32 arm 25 will swing on pivot 28 and will close electrical contact 38.

The closing of contact 38 energizes relay 41 through the following circuit: ground 83, relay 41,-lii1e 84, contact 38, current source 85 and ground 86. The operation of relay 41 pulls relay armature 42 into its low position thus automatically shifting the entire multiple switch 39, the effect of which switching action was previously described in connection with the manual operation of switch 39. It should be noted that movement of switch arm 42 past contact point 87 will not energize relay 48 because it is a slow acting relay.

A similar sequence of events would take place if recorder B were in operation and tape 23 were to break or run out. Recorder B would then automatically be inactivated and recorder C would be placed at the disposal of the dictator.

When both recorders become inoperative If the secretary is in' attendance and a tape breaks or runs out she can remedy the situation promptly, but if the machine is unattended it is possible for one tape to break, with a consequent shift of operations from one recorder to the other recorder as indicated above, and then to have the tape of the second recorder break or run out.

If this should happen it means that relays 40 and 41 will both be energized at the same time, in the manner previously described. Switch arm 42 is a three position switch with upper, lower and middle positions, the center position being the only one which effects a circuit closing.

When relays 40 and 41 are both inactive multiple switch 39 will remain in the position in which it was last placed. Under the influence of one of these two relays the switch will assume either the upper or lower position as the case may be, but when both relays 40 and 41, which are of equal power, are energized and acting on it through relay armature 42 it will assume the middle position and close contact 87 for a sufiicient length of time to operate slow acting relay 48 over a circuit comprising: ground 88, switch arm 42, contact 87, line 89, current source 115, .slow acting relay 48 and ground 90.

Since switch arm 44 is pulled into its center position at the same time that switch arm 42 assumes that position, the motor circuit is broken at that time at contact 62 or 82 and whichever motor was in operation is stopped. However, when slow-acting relay 48 is energized, relay arm 55 also opens the starting circuit at contact 56 and this cuts off the current on relay 47 and opens the motor circuit at contact 59.

The opening of the starting circuit at contact 56 also shuts oil lamp 2 at the dictating station, giving the dictator immediate warning that both recorders are inoperatlve.

Replacing either of the broken recorder tapes immediately inactivates the associated relay 40 or 41. If, for example, tape 23 is replaced, the circuit of relay 40 will be opened at contact 37 and since relay 41 is still energized switch 39 will be shifted from its middle position to its lower position and all contacts for operation of recorder B will be closed. At the same time the operating circuit for relay 48 is opened at contact 87 and relay armature 55 is thus released to close contact 56 which lights lamp 2, advising the dictator that the equipment is ready ,for use. "The closing. of the starting circuit also starts up motor 15, "placing. recorder-B111 operation;

Play-back of dictation It frequently-happens that-whendictation is interrupted for one reasonor another, the dictator has trouble recalling'ijust where he left off. In order'to assist the dicta'tor ingetting st'artedagain, provision has been made so that he can play back a predetermined portion of the dietat'ion which was dictated immediately vprior to: the interrupti'on. Y

' It is assumed that wheninterrupted thedictator will promptly stop the apparatus by opening start-stop switch 1,1thusstoppingthe-tapeat the end-of the dictation and not at the'end-of a longbla'nk, which would defeat the arrangement tobe described When the dictator is ready to resume dictation all he needs to do-in order to pick up the thread of his comnients is to shift multiple switch 7 bypulling'the handle to the playback position illustrated in broken-lines. This action shifts the eight contacts controlled by the-multiple switch with thefollowing results: the microphone is dis connected from the input to the amplifier at contacts- 67 and 68; the speech circuit is disconnected from the output of the amplifier at contacts 69 and 70 and is connected with. the input of the amplifier through contacts 91 and 92; loud-speaker 6 (which is illustrated as a dynamic speaker) isv connected to the output of the amplifier through contacts 93- and 94; and the polarity of the starting circuit is changed bybreaking the contacts between the starting or control circuit and the current source 3 at contacts 52 and 53 and re-establishing them at contacts 95' and 96.

If the dictator now closes start-stop switch 1,. relay 47 is energized in the usual way and the motor of the connected recorder will be started. However, since-the polarity of the control circuit has been changedypolar relay 49, in switching unit D, will also be energized and relay armature 97 will close contact 98 which is normally open. This in' turn results in the operation of relays 99 or 100, depending upon which recorder is connected. By way of example, if recorder C is con! nected, current is applied to relay 100 over the following circuit: ground 101, relay armature 97, contact 98, line 102-, switch arm 46, contact 103, line 104, relay 100, current source 106 and ground 107.

Relay 100 operates the forward-reverse switch 18', moving it from its normal forward position into the reverse position, thus starting the rewinding of the tape or the back-spacing operation, as it is sometimes referred to. The circuits controlled by this switch are not shown since they are well known and are not part of this invention. Obviously, the recorders should be of a type that record only when the tapes are moving forward.

Relay 50 is a slow acting polar relay designed to deenergize and release quickly and also designed to have the same action time as the length of play-back which is desired. Thus if a one-minue play-back is considered to be adequate to permit the dictator to pick up his train of thought, this relay is designed to operate at the end of one minute. This relay is also designed to have a stronger pull than relay 49.

When relay 50 does act at the end of the predetermined period,'relay armature 108, by reason of the fact that it is linked to relay arm 97 and the fact that relay 50 is a stronger relay than relay 49, breaks contact 98, thus permitting forward-reverse switch 18 on recorder C .to return to its normal forward position. Relay armature 108 also closes contact 109 (which is normally open) which'cl'oses the circuit whichbperate's relay 110 or 111 to shift the record-listen switch 19 or 20 from its normal position of record to listen just at the time when rewind of the tape has been completed and the tape starts forward again. Referring to recorder C, the operating circuit for relay 111 is: ground 101,

r winches relay armature 108, contact 109, line 112, switch arm 45, conta'ct'113, line 114, relay 111, line 105, current source 106 and ground 107. v

The record-listen switch of the operating recorder is thus held in the listen position until the dictator hears the last portion of his dictation and comes to blank tape, at which time he returns multiple switch 7 to its normal position. Shifting of this-switch changes the polarity of the starting circuit back to its normal polarity with the consequent release of polar relay 50 which in turn opens contact 109 breaking the circuit to relay 111 which permits the record-listen switch 20 to return to the record position, which is its normal position. The return to the record position coincides with the return of the speech circuit to dictating position, and everything is thus in readiness for the dictator to continue his dictation.

If the dictator wants to hear a longer portion of his dictation, he need only momentarily open and again close start-stop switch 1 while keeping switch 7 in its play-back position. Opening the start-stop switch cuts off the current from slow-acting polar relay 50 which, as was previously pointed out, is designed to de-energize and release quickly, and since this is the relay that governs the length of the play-back cycle, the cycle is thus started all over again from whatever point on the tape the start-stop switch was opened. To secure a maximum back-spacing of the tape on each of these operations the start-stop switch should be opened at approximately the time when the rewinding operation is completed. This simple back-spacing operation can be repeated as many times as desired until the dictator gets back to the place on the tape which concerns him. By using the well known device of a fast rewind the total time for back-spacing can be cut to a minimum.

It is appreciated that it the secretary should switch the speech circuit from one recorder to another recorder during an interruption in the dictation, the dictator will not be able to play-back his dictation as described above, but since this would normally happen only when the speech circuit was shifted from one recorder to another recorder by the secretary, she will be present to remedy the situation when her attention is called to it by the fact that one of the recorders is placed in reverse by remote control from the dictating station, indicating that the dictator is trying to listen to his most recent dictation.

What I claim is:

*1. In a two station dictating system, the combination of a transmitting station containing a signal source, a separate recording station, two recorders at said recording station, each recorder operatively associated with a flexible linear recording medium, manually operable high speed switching means at the recording station for switching the incoming signals back and forth between the two recorders at any time without interrupting the continuity of the incoming signals which are thereby shifted from one flexible linear recording medium to the other at the recording station, and means operatively associated with each such recorder at the recording station and actuated by the departure from normal operating position of the flexible linear recording medium of the recorder with which it is associated for automatically actuating said high speed switching means to shift the in coming signals back and forth between the recorders as required to keep the incoming signals directed to an operative recorder.

- 2. In a two station dictating system, the combination of a dictating station, a separate recording station, two

. 8 recorders at said recording station, a flexible linear re'- cording medium operatively. associated with each such recorder, a speech circuit connecting the dictating station with one of said recorders, manually controllable switching means at and under the control of the recording station" for instantaneously switching the speech circuit from such connected recorder to the other such recorder at will, and means actuated by the departure from normal'operating position of the recording medium operatively associated with such connected recorder for automatically controlling such switching means to instantaneously shift the speech circuit from such connected recorder to the other such recorder.

3. Ina .two station recording system, the combination of a transmitting station containing a signal source, a separate recording station, two recorders at said recording station, a flexible linear recording medium operatively associated with each such recorder, a signal cir: cuit connecting the signal source at the transmitting sta= tion with one of said recorders, and means actuated by the departure from normal operating position of the recording medium operatively associated with such connected recorder for automatically switching the signal circuit from such connected recorder to the other such recorder and for simultaneously stopping the first such recorder and starting the second such recorder.

4. In a two station dictating system, the combination of a dictating station, a separate recording station, two recorders at such recording station, a flexible linear recording medium operatively associated with each such recorder, a starting circuit connecting such stations, switching means at the recording station for connecting the dictating station through such starting circuit with an operable one of such recorders, a warning means controlled through said switching means and actuated by the simultaneousabsence from normal operating position of the recording mediums associated with each such recorder to warn the dictating station that neither recorder is in an operable state.

5. In a dictating system, the combination of a dictating station, a separate recording station, a reversible current source located at and under the control of the dictating station, a control circuit connecting such current source with such recording station, a recorder at the recording station, a relay at said recording station adapted to place such recorder in operation upon being energized over such control circuit from such current source with current of one polarity, a polar relay at the recording station adapted to place such recorder in reverse upon being energized over such control circuit from such current source with current of the opposite polarity, a slow-acting polar relay at the recording station having an energizing time equal to the desired play-back time of the recorder and adapted to place such recorder in its play-back position and to simultaneously start the recorder forward again upon being energized over such control circuit from such current source in the same manner as the first polar relay, whereby recorded dictation can be played back in one or more segments of predetermined length by the repeated operation of a single current control at the dictating station.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

